Grease dispensing apparatus



Nov. 4, 1941. J. D. MORGAN 2,261,834

GREASE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1940 INVENTOR q/OH/V 0. Mo/zaA/v ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 4, 1941 GREASE DISPENSING APPARATUS John D. Morgan, South Orange, N. J., assignor to Cities Service Oil Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 30, 1940, Serial No. 332,433

3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing viscous semisolids, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for unloading grease from end-apertured grease cans.

Grease or other viscous semisolid is generally marketed in sealed cylindrical cans of light sheet metal from which the grease must be removed for the purpose of charging automatic dispensing equipment, such as high pressure grease guns. One method heretofore employed for unloading such cans has been to open the can at each end and then mount it vertically in a pressure chamber having a grease outlet nipple in its base aligned with the aperture in the bottom of the can. By then developing within the chamber a high superatmospheric pressure (usually above 100 lbs. per square inch), the grease is forced out of the can through the bottom outlet apertures of the can and chamber by exposing all parts of the can except the outlet aperture to the same high pressure.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide improved grease can-unloading apparatus which is economical in design and can be rapidly assembled or disassembled, whereby to apply air or other fluid under moderate pressure (-25 lbs. per square inch) to the inside of the can only, for removing grease therefrom.

Since grease cans are commonly constructed of very light sheet metal, their side walls are frequently dented or deformed by rough handling during shipment, and such deformations interfere with or prevent the use of follower discs or pistons within the can during the grease unloading operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus for applying moderate air pressure differentials between the interior and the exterior of a grease container whereby dents or deformations in the container walls are straightened out simultaneously with the can-unloading operation. An advantageous feature of the present can-unloading apparatus is that by its use grease cans originally equipped with removable plug closures for their end apertures may be unloaded without injury to or distortion of the can, thus permitting refilling and reuse of the can.

The invention has particular utility for unloading end-aperture grease cans of the type incorporating a follower disc inserted between the grease charge and that end aperture of the can through which pressure fluid is introduced for the purpose of unloading grease from the opposite end of the can.

With the aforementioned objects and features in view, the invention consists of the apparatus for dispensing viscous semisolids which is hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the accompanying claims.

The invention will be hereinafter described more particularly by reference to the attached drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section showing a grease can unloading apparatus embodying a preferred form of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus as it appears when clamped to a can to be unloaded.

Referring to the drawing, numeral I0 designates a cylindrical grease can or cartridge constructed of light sheet metal (for example 24 gauge) with straight cylindrical side walls I2" joined to ends I4, l5, (preferably recessed for stiffness) by outwardly rolled reinforcing'ring joints it. Each end of the can I0 is preferably provided with a central aperture I8 which is normally sealed by a friction plug closure (not shown). In the drawing the can H] has been shown with the plug closures for the end apertures l8 removed, and with the grease-unloading apparatus coupled to the can preparatory to. effecting removal of grease by application of air pressure.

A follower piston 20 is shown in the drawing as slidably mounted in can In between the grease and that end M of the can through which compressed air is introduced. Piston 20 is employed for the purpose of insuring complete displacement of the grease from the can through the can-unloading aperture [8 in end l5. The piston is dimensioned to form a close sliding fit within the can. For example, with a can of 9% inches inside diameter, the piston may have a diameter inch less than that of the can. The piston is normally a disc of about A; inch- A inch thickness, and according to the present invention should be constructed of mechanically strong somewhat flexible material, so that the piston may have a specific gravity preferably less than one half that of the'grease with which the can is charged. A preferred material for the construction of the piston is a corrugated paper having a bursting strength of about 200 lbs. per square inch and sufficient flexibility so that its edges will yield to pass any small dent or deformation in the wall of the can.

Air under moderate pressure of from 15 to 25 lbs. gauge may be conducted to end [4 of can In from a source 22, by a conduit 24. Conduit 24 has been illustrated as a flexible tube terminatwith respect to the can end aperture. "-36-of the spider arm's carries'an adjustable set ing adjacent the can in an externally threaded nipple 25. For the purpose of connecting the can I to the conduit 24 as an extension thereof, a tubular nozzle or reducing-coupling 26 of rubber or other flexible and resilient leakage-proof material is attached as an extension to the end of nipple 25. The coupling 26 has been illustrated in the drawing as shaped somewhat like the ordinary rubber suction cup. That end .of the coupling 26 which is adapted to form a sealing engagement with the end 14 of the can ID has 'a somewhat enlarged annular smooth face 28 having an internal diameter greater than the diameter of the end aperture I8 in the cam --l-0. 'An aperture 29 at the smaller end of coupling 26 is dimensioned to slip over the end of nipplei25 and to be aflixed thereto by a pair of threaded nuts 3|, 32.

For the purpose of clamping the annular face 28 of coupling 26 into coaxially aligned abutting relation with the end ofthe can Hl'which 'surrounds the-end aperture f8, a spider clamp-30 is provided having a'cen'tral aperture 33 which'slips over the end of nipple 25 just above coupling 26 and is held in that po'sition by the nuts 3|, 32. Clamp 3il is provided with radial 'clamparms 34 having right angle extension lugs36 at the ends thereof dimensioned to overhang an end ring joint l6 of can l0 and to center the coupling 26 Each lug screw 38 by means of which'the spider can be centered on the can and then clamped in place It will be appreciated the .spider'from theend of the-can Slu -when the spideris in clampingposition as illustrated.

"When the operator desires .toempty a can of "grease, it need take himino more than a minute torpry open the plug closures for the end apertures +8, to slip the'spider 30 and arms'34 into proper alignment over end! of the can, and to adjust the screws 38 to 'centering'and clamping ,position'with respect to the can rim jointlfi.

With the spider-30in clamped position as shown in Fig-1,the side walls of the rubber reducingcoupling 26 are placed under some compression strain forcing the flat annular end face 28 into tightlyeabutting contact with the outside surface .of the canend- 14 around aperture [8. By opening a clamp valve 40 on air supply-tube 24, the operator may now apply air pressure of -25# gauge to the inside of-the-can above the follower piston,.and thereby unloadthe can through the,

aperture in end l5 without any loss of air pressure by leakage past the sealing contact between end M of the can and surface 28 of the rubber cup 26.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A coupling adapted to connect an end-apertured cylindrical container to a pressure fluid supply conduit as an extension thereof, comprising a flexible reducing pipe-coupling having walls of resilient material and having one smooth annular end face dimensioned to encircle 'the container aperture and having its other end dimensioned to encircle the end of the conduit and (form a sealed joint therewith, means for clamping thereducer to the conduit as an extension thereof, and means for clamping the conduit to the container with the reducer walls under compression strain and coaxially aligned with the container aperture and with its smooth end face 'in abutting sealed relation with the end of the container surrounding the container aperture.

2. Apparatus 'for unloading end-apertured cylindrical cans comprising-aipressure fluid supply conduit, a detachable rubber" nozzle with a mouth of greater diameter than one of the can-apertures and with a smooth annular face, means for clamping the nozzle ito the end of'the conduit with the rear end of the nozzleas a sealing element for the joint, together with a clamping device adapted to couple the supply'conduitiand can together 'withthe nozzle walls under some compression strain and substantially coaxially aligned with the canapertureand with theannular face of the nozzle mouth 'intightlyabutting air sealin'g relation to thatportion of the:endof the cantimmediately surrounding the aperture.

3. A coupling adapted'for connecting =an endaperture-d cylindrical grease'container' to a pressure fluid supply conduit as 'an' extensionlthereof,

comprising a tubular rubber reducing-coupling havingits small end clamped in' fluid sealingrelation to the free end of the conduitv and having at itsiother end a smooth annular face dimensioned to encircle-an end aperture of the contain- -er, and a'spider clamp centrally attached to the conduit and having clamping arms dimensioned to overhang the container end-and to couple the conduit andcontainer together with the walls of the reducing-coupling under compression-strain and coaxially aligned with the container end aperture and with the annular face in abutting leakage-tight relation with the end of the container surrounding said end aperture.

JOHN D.- MORGAN. 

